Intertwined
by Kappalin
Summary: Mari, Kanan and Dia sleep together. Wait - no! That sounded dirty! Slice of life comedy. OT3


**Intertwined**

"Dead," Mari groaned "I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead. And guess what? I'm dead."

She trudged from the front entrance, through to the wide open living room. Her destination? The sofa.

"So dead," she nearly sobbed, and without an ounce of grace dropped face first onto the cushions. Her thick blonde locks bounced and fell around her face. One last time, muffled into the fabric, dramatically as possible, she said, "Dead."

Somewhere from behind her, Kanan snorted at the dramatics, and rolled her eyes at the familiarity of it alone. This was well beyond the first time Mari was playing things up like so. True, it had been a busy day. They were all tired on their feet and ready to just drop down and unwind for the evening. But dead times a thousand like that? Not even close.

"And we're not?" Dia raised a finely sculpted eyebrow coolly, stepping past Kanan who was slowly getting out of her shoes before entering.

Dia sidled up beside the couch, looking down at the girl in agony, her bright eyes bright with mild amusement. "Don't hog all the complaining rights, Ohara."

Mari chose only to make a high pitched noise of complaint in response and curled up into herself. She grasped blindly for a pillow to hold to her stomach.

Kanan sighed, weaving past Dia and crouching down beside Mari. One hand stroked through Mari's hair, the other rested on her arm. "Is it really that bad?" Kanan's thumb stroked back and forth along Mari's smooth skin. Slow and steady.

She spotted Mari's smile through her curtain of hair.

"You realize if you're dead we can't do anything to make you better?"

That had Mari looking up, an eyebrow raising to match Dia's own quirked expression.

"Anything?" Mari questioned wickedly.

Dia's grin matched Mari's own as she spoke before Kanan had the chance. "I do believe Kanan said ' _anything_ '."

"Do not," Kanan bit out, voice stern, but the humor was there behind her harsh face. "You know what I mean, both of you. Honestly."

Dia chuckled and dropped down on the sofa beside Mari. She snuggled close. "She means pizza, Kanan. Of course."

Mari glowed. "And soda?"

"Potato chips?" Dia grinned, turquoise eyes shining.

"Chocolate!"

"Maybe strawberry flavored Pocky?"

"Enough!" Kanan huffed. Quickly, she stood, and tossed both arms in the air as she marched away from the two. She looked like a mother escaping her irritating children. "I am _not_ paying for all of that."

"No, you are right. You're not. All of us are," Dia responded as if it were obvious. And apparently, it was.

Kanan strode across the room, sighing and fishing through an end table drawer. "If you even suggest ordering a pizza with umeboshi on it, you'll both regret it."

* * *

Three hours, two pizzas, a soda each, and more chips than any of them needed to eat and the three girls were in their respective food comas. They had spread themselves out on the floor, propped up amongst an array of pillows and each other's sides. On the television an old sci-fi movie droned on, the volume low so they could speak over it.

Three hours, and they were all ready to call it a night. The day hadn't been easy on a single one of them, and to finally find their way to beds and dreams was an idea they were all more than amenable to.

"So," Dia shifted and uncrossed her legs, "I should probably head out now. It's dark, and Ruby and mom will be worried. Yeah. So."

"Yeah." Mari sighed. "Me too, actually. Like she said; dark."

No one moved from their spot. They avoided each other's gazes.

"Sure." Kanan shrugged, looking too at ease for Dia's comfort. Mari twisted on the spot uncomfortably. "If you two want."

Reluctantly, Dia gave in. She pushed herself up in one fluid motion and set herself to darting around the living room in search of her belongings.

"But, it's late," Kanan suddenly said "Maybe. I don't know, maybe you two should just stay here."

Mari, halfway to her feet, stopped to look at Kanan. Dia did the same, halfway into her sweater and face twisting into a frown.

"Stay?" Mari tilted her head.

Kanan shrugged, staring at the carpet as if it could give her the answers to the universe.

"Like we used to?" Mari queried. Again Kanan shrugged noncommittally.

Dia huffed, crossing her arms. "We aren't kids anymore, though."

"And I didn't bring a sleeping bag or anything! And I refuse to sleep on the bare floor."

Kanan sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "You two know I have a bed, right?"

Just like that, Mari and Dia went quiet, looking at Kanan and blinking like deer in the headlights.

 _A bed._

Not "a guest bed", but a bed.

Could she really be suggesting that..?

"I'm sure we can all fit on my bed," Kanan mumbled, her eyes darting to the room that housed her bed.

If Dia didn't know any better, she would dare to say Kanan was feeling shy.

"Like… Share a bed as in you want to…" Mari began awkwardly.

" **No**!" Kanan shot up, reaching out to grab Mari's hand to reassure her. "No, no. Sleep. Just sleep. I promise. I mean... Why not?"

Why not indeed. Mari looked to Dia, who looked back and only shrugged, her blue-green eyes wide and offering no resistance to the idea.

Mari herself couldn't think of a reason to say no.

"Okay." Mari smiled. "Sorta like old times, right? Just a little different."

Kanan perked up, hopeful.

Dia uncrossed her arms. She nodded.

They were going to share a bed.

* * *

Shades drawn?

 _Check_.

Doors and windows locked?

 _Check_.

Lights off?

 _Check_.

Bed resting comfortably on the floor made and ready for three girlfriends to crowd into?

 _Check_. _Check_. _Check_.

Well, Kanan and Dia had crowded into it, snuggled close and wrapped around each other; Dia's head tucked under Kanan's chin and Kanan's arm slung over Dia's waist. The blanket pulled low enough that Mari could spy in the darkness Dia's nightshirt stretching over her shoulder to show a scattering of faint freckles. Was it weird to say that out of all the things Mari loved about Dia, that she loved her distinctive mole and few freckles the most? Dia would probably think so, Mari thought with a roll of her eyes.

But God, Dia was beautiful, Mari couldn't help but think. They both were. Dia _and_ Kanan.

And they were her's.

Mari still couldn't understand how she had gotten so lucky. Those two were just… everything. To top that off, somehow they both seemed to care about her still, after everything. To genuinely and truly want her, to be happy with her, to maybe even - if she dared to think it - love her. (Mari had few qualms with the idea of being in love with them. Just watching them together, soft breaths mingling and holding each other safe and close... How could she not want that?)

(There was nothing she wanted more than that.)

The thought of ever losing this again was nothing short of maddening.

Mari would have woken them to tell them this - to tell them she was going to let her world revolve around them till the end of her time on the spinning, shiny rock - if they hadn't both earned themselves a restful night.

Mari sighed softly, sinking down into the bed and letting her gaze wander over Kanan's supple shoulders. She stroked a hand through her long, silky dark blue hair, enjoying the feel of soft strands slipping between her fingers.

* * *

"Morning, you." Kanan smiled tiredly, voice thick with the remnants of sleep. Soft morning light poked through curtains, draping across Kanan's skin.

Dia was already awake.

"Morning to you," Dia murmured, stretching an arm up above her head.

Kanan didn't shy away from enjoying the sight. The arch of her back the pull in of her stomach, the rise and fall of her chest.

"Oh my God," Dia whispered, suddenly. Kanan's gaze snapped up to Dia's eyes and she frowned.

"Look at her."

Kanan tilted her head back a fraction, looking over her shoulder to Mari and oh her God indeed. That was a sight to die for.

Mari, curled up on herself and hugging the pillow to her chest instead of using it to cushion her head, breathing heavy with a small smile on her face.

"Adorable little weirdo," Kanan chuckled fondly.

"Like a teddy bear." Dia grinned.

Dia propped herself up onto one elbow. She draped an arm over Kanan's waist to reach past and poke Mari in the side.

The girl grumbled and swatted Dia's hand away.

Dia poked her again, continuing to do so until Mari was blinking her light eyes open and frowning at the other two. "Good morning," she huffed.

"Morning," Dia and Kanan responded in unison.

A silence settled, and the three girls smiled warmly.

This was real. This was happening. They had actually shared a bed. The idea was almost too much grasp, and yet there they were, burrowed under the same blanket and cuddled close. Safe and warm and happy. Just the three of them.

"You know," Kanan started "if you two are up for staying a little longer, I can make us some breakfast."

"Why don't we just have the leftover pizza?" Mari asked as she yawned. Dia poked her again only to see Mari's sleepy smile widen.

"Because that's disgusting, and I have perfectly good, _healthy_ food here to prepare for a proper breakfast."

"Rice and nori?" Mari finally sat up, pushing knotted hair away from her face.

"And miso soup too," Kanan corrected.

"Sounds delicious. So… what are you waiting for?" Dia asked. "Go cook."

"I'll help, Kanan." Mari singsonged as she began to kick the blanket away.

Kanan smiled her thanks and sat up, stopping halfway at the sudden tug to her long hair. Dia howled in pain, slapping Kanan's arm frantically to get her to stop.

Mari nearly fell to the floor in surprise.

"What, what?" Kanan spun to look down and Dia yelped again as a fierce pain shot through her.

"What…" Kanan stooped low, eyeing the source of Dia's sudden pain.

Their hair had been braided together.

 _Their **hair** had been **braided** **together**._

"What the hell?" Dia snapped. She sat up, careful not to disturb their connecting braid more than it already had been (much to the dismay of Dia's scalp.)

Dia glared past Kanan - who had already given up attempting to untangle the mess - at Mari. Mari, who blinked, and then just shrugged.

"Sorry." She grinned weakly as the girls glared at her. "Eh...I-is joke?" She offered as if to explain all.

With a scowl, Dia reached past to poke a finger into her side. _Hard_.

Nodding, wordlessly Mari set herself to the task of undoing the braid.


End file.
